Giving back is the best way to start the new year

If there’s one thing that unites us, it’s that doing something nice for someone else has a way of making us feel good. And sometimes, there’s no better reminder of this than hearing stories of those who give back to improve the lives of others.

(BPT)

February 8, 2013 - 3:04 am

Giving back is the best way to start the new year

(BPT) – If there’s one thing that unites us, it’s that doing something nice for someone else has a way of making us feel good. And sometimes, there’s no better reminder of this than hearing stories of those who give back to improve the lives of others.

Make-A-Wish grants wishes to kids with life-threatening medical conditions. These experiences are more than just a nice thing. Wishes help make kids better able to fight their illnesses. Wishes help repair and strengthen families. Wishes change lives, forever.

Some wish kids’ wishes go beyond their own hopes and desires. Beyond what they want to be, who they want to meet, where they want to go, or what they want to have. They want their wishes to enrich the lives of others.

Some Make-A-Wish kids use their wish to spread the joy of giving back:

* Jericho, 7, has been living with leukemia since he was 3. Jericho knows well that with multiple rounds of chemotherapy, and a daily regimen of pills, receiving treatments isn’t fun. With his wish, Jericho came up with the idea to have an automated robot train called JR Railroad that delivers medication to children in the hospital, making treatments more fun and less scary.

* Lindsey, a 14-year-old with bone cancer, loves everything about being in her middle school’s band, including the music, the school spirit and the friendship. So for her wish, she decided that she wanted to give new instruments to her school’s band, making it possible for the band to overcome budget cuts and play on for years to come.

* Ryan, 16, knew that his mother, Wendy, devoted everything to help him beat cancer. For his wish, he gave his mother the wedding she had always hoped for.

How you can help

You can help grant wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

It can be as simple as making a donation – cash or frequent flier miles – to Make-A-Wish, starting an online fundraiser, volunteering through your local chapter. However you choose to help, you can share in the joy that comes with making wishes come true and creating powerful, life-changing experiences for wish kids, their families and entire communities. Learn more at www.wish.org/giveback.